Jayson Tatum Reacts to Kyrie Irving’s Struggles in the NBA Finals**
Kyrie Irving, recognized as one of the NBA’s premier talents, has encountered challenges in maintaining consistency during the 2024 NBA Finals, particularly with his offensive output.
In the series thus far, Irving has been shooting a little over 35 percent from the field and has missed all eight of his attempts from beyond the arc. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum recently commented on Irving’s performance and the team’s defensive strategy against the Dallas Mavericks’ standout player.
“That’s part of it,” Tatum remarked on Tuesday when asked if Irving’s struggles stemmed from simply missing open shots. “You can’t entirely shut down a player as talented as him. It’s a common saying that with great players, the goal is to make things difficult for them. You have to mix up the coverages and make them work hard for every point. They’ll make some shots and miss others.”
Tatum acknowledged that Irving has missed some open opportunities, but he emphasized that the Celtics are committed to making life difficult for him on the court. “You just don’t want them to get comfortable. And that applies to any talented player,” Tatum added.
It’s virtually impossible to keep a superstar like Irving quiet for an entire series, but the Celtics aim to maintain an aggressive defensive approach against him.
Will Kyrie Irving Bounce Back in the 2024 NBA Finals?
On Tuesday, Irving admitted that playing in Boston provided extra motivation, which could be influencing his performance. Despite the pressure, Irving is known for handling such situations well in the past.
While Luka Doncic has been performing admirably in the Finals, the Mavericks will need Irving to regain his form to stand a chance against the Celtics.
“Accepting that I haven’t played up to my standards or as well as I would have liked,” Irving said on Tuesday, reflecting on his performance. “Being back in Boston brings a desire to perform well. I wanted to support my teammates. As a competitor, it’s frustrating… I’ll keep feeding my teammates’ confidence. I’ve been down 0-2 before, lost a series, and won a series.”
Irving emphasized the importance of mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical preparation, along with respecting the opponent and giving his best effort in each game.
Given Irving’s track record, a resurgence is expected soon. He has consistently delivered in crucial moments throughout his career, and prior to the Finals, he had several standout performances in the 2024 playoffs. It seems likely that he will find his rhythm shortly.
Sometimes, just making a few three-point shots can reignite a player’s confidence. Once Irving finds his groove, defending him becomes a daunting task. As Jrue Holiday mentioned before the series, when Irving gets going, defenders can only “pray.”
